Signal-lantern



(No Model.) J.'A. BRAGAW.

SIGNAL LANTERN.

Patented Apr, 26, 1887.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

. JOHN A. EEAGAW, OF ALBANY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HA E TO ALFRED EUGENE STANTON, OE MO TEOsE, PENNSYLVANIA.

SIGNAL-LANTERN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 361,808, dated April 26, 1887.

Application filed June 22, 1886.

To all whom,v it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN A. BRAGAW, a resident of Albany, in the county of Albany and State of New York, have invented an Im- 5 proved Signaling-Lantern, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being made to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a vertical central section of my :0 improvement, the lantern itself being in side View. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the improved screen, showing it lowered on a lantern, which is in side view.

The object of this invention is to provide a r 5 lanternsuch as is used by switchmen and the like on railroads by watchmen and station- 1nasters-with means for changing the color of the light. Lanterns for that object have heretofore been made, some having reversible 2o swiveled oil-vessels, and others glass slides; but none have come into general use, as far as I am aware, because of their inherent defects.

Myinvention consists in combining with an ordinary or suitable lantern having a glass 2 5 cylinder or globe a flexible and preferably extensible outer screen of translucent substance, which, when expanded and brought in linewith the light, will cause the colorof its rays to be changed into red, green, or other tint,

3o whileawhite light will be produced when said screen is contracted and not in line with the light.

In the drawings, the letter A represents a suitable lantern, in which a is the wick-tube,

5 b the globe or cylinder, d the base, and e the cap. B is my improved flexible screen,which is a cylindrical open-ended structure of thin Serial No. 205,932. (No model.)

india-rubber, silk, or other suit-able fabric. This cylindrical screen, when made extensible and contractible, will, when expanded to its 0 full height, as in Fig.1, surround the light of the lantern and change the color thereof, while when contracted, as shown by the zigzag lines in Fig. 2, it will be below the wick-tube and not interfere with the color of the light. When 5- raised, it is held in position by suitable hooks,

J, on a ring, 9

The manner in which this lantern is to be used can be readily understood. A person swinging or holding it for the purpose of giv- 5o ing a certain signal-say of safety or danger on a railroadwill, when the screen is out of line with the light, indicate safety.

If danger is to be indicated, the attendant will be in position to suddenly bring the mov- 55 .able screen around the light for the purpose JOHN A. BBAGAW.

YVitnesses:

P. 1?. ROGERS, W. J. BURNs. 

